Generation Z
by topleka
Summary: A girl named Theta comes to Ro and Zee for help, but there's something strange about her. Her past is about to catch up with her, but can she really be trusted? Chapters 2 and 3 are now up!
1. Close Encounters

Generation Z 

Disclaimer: The Zeta Project isn't mine. Duh. Otherwise, this wouldn't be fanfiction. But that's beside the point. It's not mine. A lot of what happens here I made up in my head. Got it? _My head_. Theta is my character, but other than that...it all belongs to KidsWB or whoever owns TZP. So there. Now stop reading this blather and read the story.

Chapter 1 - Close Encounters

"So, what do you think, Zee?" Ro stood in front of a full length mirror admiring her new shirt and pants.  
"I think it looks good on you," replied Zeta, "but we've been at this store for hours. Maybe we should go back to the hotel."  
"You think so?" asked Ro, absentmindedly. "Alright. But I just want to stop at one more place..."

"I'm sorry, it was an accident!" cried Agent West miserably. Agent Rush glared down at him, and he could feel the piercing gaze of Bennet from the back of the vehicle. "Maybe if you wouldn't turn around corner so sharply, I wouldn't have dropped the stun ray."  
Agent Rush sighed. He was really starting to get on her nerves. "It will take a few hours to fix this. Until then, don't touch a thing. You got that?" West nodded and turned away. Sometimes it seemed as if...no...this was his job. There was nowhere else for him to go. He missed Lee. She was always there to help him. Agent Rush didn't care for him at all. She was really starting to get on his nerves.

She ran along the street, unnoticed by those who walked along the side. Her long black hair was matted and dirty, and her clothes were dirty and worn. She ran. Her breath became heavy and forced, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. He was coming. Her only chance of escape was near. She had searched for such a long time. He was coming. There! Up ahead! A mall. She had come this far. Freedom was near. She ran. At the entrance she saw them. They were here. She knew they would be. The girl always liked to shop. They were in sight. She stopped for one breath before going on. It still wasn't safe. He was coming.

"Taxi!" called Ro, signaling to a taxi cab at the corner of the street. The car pulled up and Zeta dumped Ro's huge load of clothing into the front seat. He and Ro slid into the back seat and the door began to slide shut. Suddenly a hand shot through and stopped the door from closing completely. A girl about Ro's age pushed the door open and leapt into the cab. Before they could do anything, she turned around to the robot driver and said "Grand Hotel, downtown on Hudson."  
As the taxi began the journey to the hotel, Zeta asked, "Who are you?"  
"Yeah," said Ro, "and how do you know what hotel we're staying at?"  
The girl ignored Ro's question and turned to Zeta. She ran her hand through her dark, tangled hair. After taking a deep breath, she said "Infiltration Unit Zeta?"  
Zeta glanced at Ro before nodding. "Yes. How did you know?"  
"Anyone connected with the government knows you're the renegate synthoid. It's not hard." She said. Ro took the time to look her over. She wore a blue coat, similar to Zeta's in design. Underneath was a grey shirt and dark grey pants, just like Zeta's. the girl continued speaking. "I need your help, Zeta. You're the only one who can help me."  
"What do you mean?" asked Zeta.  
"Wait a second," said Ro, interrupting the conversation. "I have some questions. First, how come you're dressed almost exactly like Zee? Second, how did you know we were here, and third, how do we know we can trust you?"  
The girl smiled. "I guess I should tell you about myself. My name is Theta. I know you're here because I have connections, and I can track where you go. I'm a lot faster than NSA agents, too. And here's proof that you can trust me." She help up a photo card and pushed the button. An image of Ro's brother hovered above the card. "Recognize this? It's your brother, isn't it?"  
Ro grabbed the photo from Theta. "How did you get that?"  
"I found it by your bed last night," said Theta innocently. "Yes, I entered your hotel room. If I really wanted to hurt you, you'd already be dead."  
Ro pocked the photo before saying, "You still haven't answered my first question. Why are you dressed like Zeta? And why is your name almost exactly like his?"  
Theta shrugged "Is it a crime to have a similar taste in fashion? And I was around before Zeta was built anyway. So _his_ name is similar to mine, not the other way around."  
The taxi ground to a halt in front of the hotel. Theta reached over and slid a cred card through the bot's slot. The screen confirmed her payment, and the three got out of the cab. Zeta grabbed Ro's shopping bags and the three of them entered the hotel.  
"You could have let me pay the taxi driver," said Zee as they walked down the hallway.  
"Don't worry," said Theta. "I'll be okay. Now let's go to your room where we can talk in private. There isn't much time."

"All fixed!" announced Agent Rush and she held the stun ray up for Bennet to see. "_I'll_ carry it this time," she said, making a point to let West hear her. He glared at her. Sometimes she could be such a showoff.  
"I'll show you," he thought to himself as he logged onto the net. He'd find Zeta before anyone else and prove that he was the best. A message blinked on his screen notifying him of an incoming email message. He opened it and found a cryptic note.  
It read: From the East to the onslaught of the storm. Nothing important can happen. Yesterday morning you should have stayed away from Hudson's downtown. Let the whole world know your plight.  
West read the note again. After a second, his eyes widened in realization. With a swift glance around the room, he deleted the message, then opened up his electronical calendar and scheduled an absence for himself. This promised to be good.

The End of chapter one! Stick around for Chapter 2 - Deeper  
Any thoughts? Comments? Questions? Email me! webmaster@zetaproject.zzn.com


	2. Deeper

Chapter 2 - Deeper  
  
Agent West walked along the sidewalk. He stared at his long shadow in the setting sun. Up ahead was a row of tiny restaurants. He looked over them: Li's Oriental Cuisine, Frank's BBQ and Grill, El Plato Grande, and Pizza- rama. He stared. What had the note said? It had told him to come here, but which place should he go? He read the names again, then a smile lit up his face. Of course. His pace quickened and his spirit lightened. Things would turn out okay.  
  
"I used to be a normal kid with a normal life," said Theta. She sat in a chair in Zeta and Ro's hotel room. Across from her, Ro sat cross-legged on the bed. Zeta was still standing. "I had a great mother and father, and friends. It was totally normal. Except for my grandfather, anyway."  
  
"Uh huh," said Ro, "and who is your grandfather?"  
  
Theta smiled wryly. "His name is Eli Selig."  
  
"What?" cried Zeta. He walked towards her, then stopped. "I do see a resemblance, but not very much."  
  
"It doesn't have to be great," Theta said, "but I'm sure he's my grandfather." She watched Zeta and Ro glance quickly at each other. They still weren't sure whether to trust her. "If you think I'm lying, take a DNA scan." Zeta reached out for her right arm, but she drew it back. "The left arm, please." She stuck out her left arm, and Zeta gave it a tiny prick with a needle that extended from his hand.  
  
After a second, he said, "She's related. I don't know if she's his granddaughter, but they're definitely related."  
  
Theta relaxed her body slightly. "I didn't come here to tell you my life story. I came to ask for help," she said. Her eyes darted around the room before she continued, "I'm being followed. Chased. Pursued. Hunted."  
  
"By who?" asked Ro.  
  
"A bounty hunter. I think you know him. He calls himself Krick."  
  
"Welcome to Li's Oriental Cuisine," chirped a smiling waitress. "What can I get for you?"  
  
"What?" asked West. "Oh, yeah. Um...I'll have the, um, lemon grass chicken. And hold the crushed peanuts."  
  
"No problem." West glanced around the restaurant. It was rather dimly lit, but he could see that most of the people in the restaurant were indeed oriental. Where was the person he was supposed to meet? He took a sip of water, still searching. A plate of food landed in front of him. "Will that be all?" asked the waitress.  
  
"Yeah, this is fine."  
  
"How did you get mixed up with Krick?" asked Ro. "I bet it's because you're related to Dr. Selig."  
  
"Yes," admitted Theta. "That's most of it. It's also because I'm way too curious for my own good. A little more than a year ago, Dr. Selig was asked to work on a new project: The Zeta Project. Of course, he agreed. He never spoke about it, but I guess I was too curious. Somehow I hacked onto his computer and downloaded the specs for IUZeta. I think I wanted to build my own IUZeta, so I began." Theta paused, closing her eyes for a moment before she continued, "I was so stupid. I ordered the parts online on an unsecure line. The government got wind of what I was doing and put out a warrant for my arrest. Krick the bounty hunter decided I would be an easy target."  
  
Ro leaned forward. "What do you mean you think you wanted to built and IUZeta. Can't you remember?"  
  
Theta shook her head. "No. I don't remember anything. All I have is a damaged electronic diary that tells me all these things. I don't even know my real name."  
  
"So you settled on Theta." said Ro. "So your name is like Zeta's, not the other way around."  
  
"Okay, you got me," Theta admitted. "But that really is beside the point. The reason I'm here is because I want to hire Zeta to protect me from Krick."  
  
West pulled out his cred card and swiped it through the slot. The waitress smiled and handed him the receipt and a fortune cookie. West pocked the receipt and left. Once outside the building, he cracked open his cookie. A slip of paper showed. He pulled it out and read it. He smiled before tearing the paper to shreds and tossing it away. With a lighter step, he headed back to the NSA craft. Things were looking up.  
  
"You want to hire Zee?" Ro asked incredulously. "He's not a body guard for hire! He's a renegade synthoid!"  
  
"I know," Theta calmly replied, "but I'm a renegade too. Actually, I'm dead." 


	3. Trust

Chapter 3 - Trust  
  
"Where have you been?" asked Agent Rush and West climbed back into the vehicle.  
  
"Out to dinner," he replied innocently. "I scheduled a leave on my calendar. Did you check?" For once, Agent Rush didn't know what to say. West smiled and took his seat. As he did he could feel Bennet's presence looming over him.  
  
"Mr. West," began Bennet, "You are not to take a leave of absence from this project without my permission. Each agent is given a set break time. If you aren't happy you can deal with it."  
  
"Yes sir," muttered West. He was used to being the whipping boy. If anyone felt bad, they would take it out on him. But this time he had the upper hand.  
  
"Two months after a reward went out for my arrest, Krick came." Theta was continuing her story. "He cornered me in an abandoned factory."  
  
"That seems to be his favorite," remarked Ro dryly.  
  
"He was just going to tie me up and take me in, but I fought back. As we were fighting, a large blade from one of the machines came down on us. It narrowly missed us, but it shook up the old building and the ceiling fell on me. Krick tried to pull me out to collect his reward, but the building was too unstable. He was almost caught in the ruble as well. He turned and ran, and when I never appeared the NSA decided I was dead. When I finally escaped from the debris, all I could remember was fighting with Krick and the ceiling caving in on me. I found the electronic diary, and it opened when I scanned my retina, so it must be mine. I've been hiding out ever since. Last month, Krick found me again. I don't know how. He still wants to bring me in."  
  
"And you want Zeta to protect you?" asked Ro.  
  
"Yes. He's the only one who's ever defeated Krick. I need your help. I can pay you."  
  
"Sorry," said Ro, "but we don't need any creds."  
  
Theta smiled. "I know, but you can have my electronic diary. It's broken, so there's not much I can read, but I bet Zeta could fix it and find tons of information. Maybe even more about Dr.Selig."  
  
"I know you're in there somewhere little girl." He smiled a wicked smile and flexed his robotic arm. She had survived. Somehow. He didn't know how. She should have died from the ceiling caving in on her, but not only that, she had lost a lot of blood. He had seen it. He had seen the blood running across the floor of the factory. She should be dead. Yet somehow she was still alive. That meant she was still worth the millions of credits he wanted. The sun was almost set. It hovered on the horizon, casting its final rays along the sidewalk. He pulled himself deeper into the shadows. Soon it would be dark and he would have her.  
  
"It's a deal," said Ro, extending her hand. Theta took it gingerly, then shook. Ro drew her hand back, puzzled. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't place her finger on it. Theta leaned back in her chair. She would be able to sleep well for the first time in months.  
  
"Here," she said, reaching into her pocked. She pulled a battered electronic diary from her pocked and lay it in Zeta's outstretched hand. "It's been fried pretty bad, but with a little work you could decode the entire thing."  
  
Zeta immediately plugged into the diary and began the restoration process. Ro threw herself on the bed and slept. Theta remained in the chair, but she began to drift off into slumber as well. A great blast woke Ro and Theta. The wall of the room was now a gaping, smouldering hole. A man stepped forth from the shadows.  
  
Theta leapt to her feet. "Krick!" she exclaimed. He lifted his arm and shot at her. She leapt aside. The chair she had occupied only moments ago was a smouldering pile of ash.  
  
"Zee!" cried Ro in a panic. Zeta had unplugged himself from Theta's diary and he now leapt on Krick. With a powerful twist, Krick threw Zeta off his body, but Zeta was up in a second. Coming in low, Zeta turned on his saw and with one thrust, he severed the laser gun from Krick's arm. Krick pulled his hand back and punched Zeta, sending the robot wheeling. Ro and Theta stared in horror as Krick turned on them. Theta pushed Ro out of the way and prepared to fight, but she never got the chance. 


End file.
